1848.] Narrative of a Journey to Cho Lagan, fyc. 155 



We met an orange colored Ddba, (inferior monk,) coming from it, 

 who passed by without taking particular notice of us. At noon we 

 came to the end of this plain under a low spur of hill that advances to 

 meet a small bay of the lake, and here halted for rest, breakfast, &c. 



Thermometer at 2 p. m. 54° ; boiled at 186° ; elevation of the lake 

 1-5,250 feet ; we were close upon the water. In the sun the thermo- 

 meter rose to 70°. 



The native name ofRakas Tal is Cho Lagan, "Cho" or " Tsho>> 

 signifying lake. 



The shore of the lake here shewed marks of variation in the water- 

 level to the extent of a few feet ; ground which appeared to have been 

 lately inundated, now half dry and swampy, was covered with a very 

 thick efflorescence of soda (or some such salt), which must arise from 

 the soil, as the water was quite pure and sweet. 



I found this a most delightful place : the lake was beautiful ; quite 

 a little sea ; long rolling waves broke upon the shore close under our 

 feet, and as far out as could be seen the whole face of the water was 

 freshened into the " avrjpiOfiov yeXavfxa' of old ocean. There might be 

 glorious sailing here, if the Lama of Gangri would keep a boat, which 

 might be made with Pine or Fir imported from Byans. 



At 3 p. m. we continued our journey ; course about northward ; 

 passed under the small rocky headland, which advanced close to the 

 water edge, and then entered on another low flat, bearing marks of 

 occasional inundation in places ; here two promontories of low clear 

 land appeared stretching into the lake for a mile or two, one from the 

 south, and the other from the north, covered with green grass, and I 

 think I saw Kyang on one of them ; they enclosed a large bay, the 

 middle of which came close up to our road. High hills were still on 

 our left. 



I saw a few wild ducks on the lake here, coarse ill looking birds, 

 about the size of the domestic ; color dirty grey and fulvous red ; speci- 

 mens of the same sort are occasionally to be met on the south side of 

 the snow, I believe ; I saw one myself, last June, on the Sangas-kund, a 

 pool in the Gori Glacier above Milam in Jwar ; and there were other 

 white-looking birds, still more ill-favored than the ducks. I saw no 

 signs whatever of the grey goose said to frequent these lakes in the rainy 

 season, and according to Moorcroft (August 10th and 12th) " bred on 



